Method of producing a special atmosphere



Dec. 23, 1941. R. c. HOPKINS `2,267,154

METHOD 0F PRODUCING SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE Filed' D90. 20, 1938 Patented Dee. 23, lgdl UNHTE@ STATES PATENT artrite METHOD Olli PRODUCING A SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE l. Claims.

The invention relates to burners and more partcularly to a gas, tar or oil burner of the low pressure type.

An object of the invention is to provide a burner and method in which the fuel is atomized and mixed with air under pressure in whirling motion within an atomizing barrel at the nozzle portion o the burner.

A further object is to provide a burner of this character inwhich a stream of powdered substance such as lithium, a white and light metal and its alkaline oxide is admitted to the center of the re stream.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved method of introducing lithium into a furnace in which metals are undergoing heat treatment.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description or which may be later referred to vmay be attained by constructing the improved burner in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which;

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the burner embodying the new invention;

Figure 2, a fragmentary elevation of the regu lating mechanism for the atomizing barrel;

barrel has spiral passages 22 opening from opposite sides so as to permit the air blast to enter and whirl therein. The forward end of the atomizing barrel is tapered as at 23 toward the opening 2d.

The outer orice 2e is formed around the reduced end of the atomizing barrel by means of the hollow cone 2S supported upon the radial ribs 2l formed on the outer side of the tapered end 23 of the atomizing barrel.

Fuel in the form of oil, tar or gas may be admitted through the pipe 28 connected to its forward end to the tapped inlet opening 29 at one side of the center of the atomizing barrel, said pipe being slidable through the back plate il of the casing and connected by any suitable exible l connection to a fuel supply.

Fig. 3, a transverse section taken as on the line Fig. 4, a transverse section taken as on the line :i-l, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the drawing.

The burner casing indicated generally at i@ may be substantially cylindric being closed at its rear end as by the end plate il and provided with the reduced nozzle opening i 2 at its forward end.

One side Wall of the casing may be provided, near the rear end thereof with the air inlet opening i3 for receiving an air blast from the air line iii which may be connected to the casing as by means of the casting l5 which forms a housing for the blast gate i6 which is slidably mounted within said housing and arranged to control and regulate the air blast entering the housing.

For this purpose a rod 2@ may be xed to the blast gate it and slidably mounted through a suitable bore il in the housing it, a handle i8 being mounted upon the outer end of the rod for adjusting the blast gate and a set screw i9 being provided for holding the same in adjusted posia tion.

The atomizing barrel indicated generally at 2l is adapted to be longitudinally adjusted within parts the casing ill as will later be described. This A pipe 3@ for the admission of powdered substance such as metals, alkali earth and the like, preferably lithium, extends longitudinally through the casing i@ vand communicates at its inner' end with the pipe i3 preferably of smaller diameter which is axially located through the atomizing barrel.

'Ihe pipe 3@ may be attached to the atomizing barrel as by the screw threads 3E so that as the pipe is slidably moved through the opening 33 in the end plate of the casing the atomizlng barrel is moved therewith.

The outer end of the pipe Bil is connected to a- T 8d in the outer end of which may be located a clean-out plug 35. A chemical supply pipe Se is connected to the i and may be attached by suitable connections bo a source of supply of the powdered chemical substance which may be admitted to the pipe il@ under pressure.

For the purpose of longitudinally moving the pipe il@ in order to adjust the atomizing barrel relative to the casing, a lever 3l may be pivoted upon a rack quadrant 3d and provided with an eccentric 39 operating between lugs il@ on the T 86, a pawl il being provided upon the lever to hold the parts in adjusted position, and stop pins i2 being located at proper positions upon the quadrant to limit the movement of the lever.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 1 with oil or other suitable uid admitted through the pipe 28, lithium or other powdered chemical admitted through the pipe 30 and an air blast admitted through the pipe i6, it will be seen that the air as it seeks an outlet is guided into the atomizing barrel through the spiral passages 22 setting up a spinning motion within the atomizing barrel.

The oil, or other fuel, as it is discharged from the pipe 2l into the atomizing barrel is. caught by the whirling air and thrown outwardly by `centrifugal force against the inner surface ot the tapered end portion 2301" the atomizing barrel. f

and the air and fuel will be moved forward in a spiral motion until the mixture issues from the end of the atomizing barrel; in a hollow ystream,y

the centrifugal force of the whirling motion fracturingthe film of oil as it is driven oi! at an angle of about 75 from the center line of the burner, the oil lm being at the outside of the' f whirling air stream. At this point the oil inthe oxygen of the air, the tube Il is brought to the end f the tomizing barrel;

As above pointed out the air flows from the atomizing barrel inside of the oil film and forms a shield around the lithium' or other ychemical ilow, and since these materialsr associate freely with oxygen the contact is direct and the reacf tion takes `place within the `actual fire stream.

form of minute dropsis metwith a blast of air from the orice 25 which collides with the oil yat an approximate angle of 90.

The lithium or otherfpowdered chemical sub stance is discharged axially through the center of the nre stream and is lenveloped by the whirling air issuingvr from the tapered nozzle portion 2l of the atomizing barrel. Around this air lstreamk is the fuel and air mixture as developed by the atomizing process ofy the burner around' which is the excess airissuing from the orifice l25.

' In other words,y it will be evident that the re stream is made up yof they central stream of lithium or other powdered chemical lsubstance surrounded byy a layer of air around which is the mixture oi' fuel and air, and lastly ythe condition of excess air which ycompletes the' combustion atmosphere.

Althoughftherf:r is bound to be someoxidation of the lithium or other powdered substance,`

the principal reaction to the heat will be a conversion of the solid powder into a gas or vapor which is deposited as a coatingk on thearticlesf being reated. somewhat after the manner of salt glazing kof clay products. f Naturally, at the proper The position of the parts shown in Fig. 1 is of theminimum capacity. By operating the lever 3T toy move the atomizing` barrel away from the burner tip, air will iiow through the annular space thus created between the outside of the hollow cone y26 andthe burner opening lzfhaving the effect of lengthening the flame and increasing itsvolume. f Y Y I'claimr' 'f 1. The method of yproducing a special `atmos" phere whichy consists in producing a central streamk of f an `alkaline substance, surrounding said central stream with a layer of air, surrounding'said layer of air with a mixture of hydrocarbonfuel and yair, burning saidinixture yand temperatures there will be some oxidation, but' ;y

the oxides are not depended upon for the covering orcoating; but ratherthe vaporized lithium or other substance which condenses on the'steel A and forms a coating preventing oxidizing. There is an amnity between the lithium gas thus deposited as a coating, and the steel on which it is deposited.

It will be seen that it is very important to use lithium or other chemical for producing a desired furnace atmosphere generated and diii'used from within a nre stream, and to admit the lithium or other chemical where it will combine with the admitting additional air around said mixture of fuel and air to complete the combustion.

* 2. Themethod of producing a special atmosphere which consists in'producing a central stream of an alkaline oxide of lithium, surroundling saidfcentral streamfwith alayer of air, surrounding said layer of air with a mixture of hydro-carbon fuel and air, burning said mixture i f and admitting additionalk air around said mixture of fuel and air to complete the combustion.

f 3. The method oi producing a special atmosphere ywhichfconslsts in producing ak central f stream of lithium, surrounding said central stream with a layer of air, surrounding said layer of air with a mixture ofy hydro-carbon fuel and f air, burning said lmixture and. admitting additional air around said mixture of fuell and air 

